To climb steep hills requires a slow pace at first.

Starting hard is the most common way to fail at something difficult. Early enthusiasm pushes people into a pace they cannot sustain, and by the time the ground really steepens they have nothing left. Slowness at the beginning is not timidity; it is budgeting, saving strength for the part that will need it most. Anyone who has walked a real hill knows that the people who rush the first stretch are often sitting down by the middle.

When you begin something demanding, whether a new job, a training plan or a recovery, set a starting pace that feels almost too easy. Increase it only once the easy pace has become routine.